Should the Steelers trade for Jets running back Le’Veon Bell?

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 21: Le'Veon Bell #26 of the New York Jets runs the ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at MetLife Stadium on October 21, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)

The Steelers have injuries to their top three running backs and the Jets want to part ways with Le’Veon Bell. Should Pittsburgh bring him back?

This is going to sound a little insane, but bear with me for a moment. The NFL trade deadline is just hours away, and there are reports that the New York Jets are looking to trade former Steelers running back, Le’Veon Bell:

Adam Gase was never a fan of bringing in Bell, and the former All-Pro running back has had the worst yards per rushing attempt among all starting NFL running backs this season (3.2 yards per carry).

The Steelers have dealt with their share of headaches when it comes to Le’Veon Bell, and they probably don’t want to have anything to do with him. However, let’s look at the factors in play here.

The top three running backs on the Steelers roster (James Conner, Jaylen Samuels, and Benny Snell) have all sustained injuries, and they could be missing some time. This leaves Pittsburgh with just Trey Edmunds in the backfield.

After winning 3 of their last 4 games, the Steelers are currently a team on the rise. They are in second place in their division, and are very much alive in the AFC at this point. Le’Veon Bell hasn’t been good this year behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines, and the Jets may be willing to part with him at a fairly low cost.

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Bell is a player who already knows the system and the offensive line. Meanwhile, James Conner has never played a full season. Bell could step in and help fill the void at running back until Conner returns. He also has the ability to be a safety valve in the passing game.

Just so we are clear, I am not advocating for this by any means. If it were me, I wouldn’t consider it. However, the Steelers are in a rough spot with no healthy running backs. They would have to move some money around to make it work, but Bell is a player who could help them out right away.

I very much doubt this is something that Pittsburgh will take into consideration. While it seems like the perfect storm for a return that could rejuvenate Bell’s career, don’t hold your breath. The Steelers have moved on.